Political Notebook: Cooper vote on NSA sparks online outcry

U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper's vote Wednesday against a failed amendment to deny the National Security Agency funding for cellphone surveillance sparked an online backlash last week.

But that didn't translate into real-world pressure on the congressman. Only "a couple dozen" people heeded calls to contact his office about the vote, a spokeswoman said.

"We've seen more on social media than calls or emails," Haley Davidson said. "But we consider that like any other constituent correspondence."

Cooper, a Nashville Democrat, was the only Tennessean to vote against the budget amendment, again demonstrating his unusual place as Congress' ultimate man in the middle. Like curved space-time or a powdered doughnut, NSA surveillance seems to be an issue in which the farther you move to the extremes, the closer you get to the other side.

The dynamic has produced vote-tally sheets in which Democrats like Memphis Rep. Steve Cohen and tea party Republicans including Reps. Scott DesJarlais and Chuck Fleischmann have appeared in the same column.

Cooper has defended his vote by noting that he is also the only Tennessee representative to sit on the Armed Services Committee, which implies he has more knowledge about the program.

"The first duty of Congress is to keep America safe, which we have largely been since 9/11 and the start of these limited programs that have been ruled constitutional by every judge who has examined them," he said. "It would be a mistake to let Edward Snowden's leaks weaken our defenses."

Cooper also signed onto a letter from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to President Barack Obama asking whether changes to the NSA's surveillance program might be considered.

- Chas Sisk

Cooper names new press secretary

Speaking of Cooper, the congressman announced three additions to his Washington staff today, including a new press secretary.

Chris Carroll, the Chattanooga Times Free Press' Washington correspondent, will become the Nashville Democrat's chief spokesman starting Aug. 5. He'll succeed Katie Hill, who left last month to become the communications director for former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords' new political action committee, Americans for Responsible Solutions.

- Michael Cass

Pinkston accused of 'drunk rage' in Facebook argument

Nashville Prep founder Ravi Gupta accused Metro school board member Will Pinkston of a "drunk rage" in a heated back-and-forth Facebook exchange Friday night between two former allies.

Sparking the episode was a blog post from Gupta, considered a rising star in Nashville's charter school movement, responding to comments board member Amy Frogge made in which she decried the deep-pocketed "national education reform" movement, which The Tennessean reported Friday.

On Facebook, Pinkston posted The Tennessean's story on Gupta's take, writing that he was "disappointed" in Gupta for publicly criticizing Frogge's "widely shared views on public education reform" just one month after the school board authorized Nashville Prep's second charter school.

"Be educators, or be activists. But don't try to be both," wrote Pinkston, who served on Nashville Prep's board of directors until January 2012.

That triggered a fierce Facebook exchange between the two, with Pinkston accusing Gupta of spending too much time in the political realm than in the education arena.

Gupta at one point responded: "I speak for many (reporters,politicians, parents and citizens) when i say that there is nothing scary about your drunk rage. You have tried to intimidate your way through this town, and your sloppy finger pointing is tired."

Nashville Prep's board of directors will review the online episode as part of Gupta's upcoming job evaluation, a board member confirmed.

On Saturday morning, Gupta went back to the Facebook thread to apologize. Pinkston later wrote back: "It's clear to me now: Ravi Gupta is good for Nashville Prep, but bad for Nashville."

- Joey Garrison

Monteagle woman weighs run in 4th

Lenda Sherrell, a Democratic activist and retired accountant from Monteagle, confirmed last week that she's considering running for the congressional seat held since 2011 by Republican Rep. Scott DesJarlais.

Sherrell told The Tennessean she's "in the very early stages of thinking about" running for the seat a year from now. She's been making the rounds with political insiders, including some attorneys at Nashville law firm Bass Berry & Sims last week.

"I'm just a mom, a grandmother, a retired CPA who is thinking about how I can best help the people in my district," she said. "It could be through elected office. It could be through some type of volunteer work."

Sherrell worked for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign last year. She called that work "extremely rewarding."

- Michael Cass

Kaine to address Jackson Day dinner

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia will headline the Tennessee Democratic Party's annual Jackson Day dinner.

Kaine is a former Virginia governor and Democratic National Committee chairman. The Jackson Day dinner is scheduled for 6-10 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the Musicians Hall of Fame, which is now inside Municipal Auditorium at 417 Fourth Ave. N.